Improvement in apparatus for compressing air



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hunted on. 17,1871.`

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica "JOHN s. PATRIO, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR CQMPRESSING AIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,094, dated October 17, 1871 antcdated October' 7, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. PATRIO, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Gompressing Air, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to improvements upon my patent of April 18, 1865, and consists mainly in swinging' all air-compressin g vessels upon trunnions in such a manner that the necessary inlet and outlet-valves are op erated by the oscillations of the vessel.

In the drawing, Figure l is a plan view of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section.

The compressing-vessel A is supported at or near its center longitudinally upon trunnions H, Fig. 1, which have bearings upon a suitable portion of the sole-plate P. One or both of these trunnions are. made hollow and communicate with the interior of the compressor, and provision is made upon them for securely attaching the ilexible pipe F, though which the water enters under a head. The vessel A is divided internally into compression-chambers B and C, Fig. 2, and centrally-located water-box D, the latter acting as distributer from the pipe F, and communicating with both the former by means of swinging or Otherwise-balanced valves a a. Valves c c admit the air compressed in B and C to the airchamber E, but prevent its return, and balanced valves b and b in the lower part of each chamber permit the escape of the water at the proper time. The extremities of the vessel A are connected to the sole-plate P by means of vertical toggles t' and n, and horizontal ,toggles m o are linked to the central joint of these and to a suitable part of the sole-plate, as indicated in Fig. 2. These toggles are so proportioned with relation to the vessel A and sole-plate that but one set can be locked at one time; and it is plain that if the horizontal one m o be pulled out of the center line of the j oints the vertical ones will also be unlocked, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 2. The tilting water-receivers G G swing upon hollow trunnions e, which communicate with the chambers B and G near their upper sides, through flexibleV tubes K K. Tubes r convey the air forced out of the receivers by the entrance of the water to the air-chamber E, and counter-weights P P balance the receivers upon the trunnions and return them to an elevated position when empty. Chains or rods t t connect the arms p of these counter-Weights with the central joint of the horizontal toggles m o, as shown. Forthe purpose of emptying the receivers G G when tilted l provide puppet-valves s, Fig. 2, in the lower part ot' each, which are opened as the receivers descend by their stems coming in contact with stop fixed to the vessel A. The inlet-valves a c and outlets b b are actuated by means of three-armed beams d d oscillating upon shafts 7L, one within each compression-chamber B and C. Rods l connect the inlet-valves with the upper arms f j" of the beams, and the valves b and b are connected, in a suitable manner, to the horizontal arms, one upon each side of the axes h, as shown. One of each of the pairs of valves b b opens outward and one inward by the movement of the beams Z d', whereby they are nearly or quite balanced aga-inst the pressure of water or air in the. chambers. Counter-weights N N are attached to the stem .of each of the inwardly-Openin g valves, and operate to return the valves to their closed position afterbein g opened. As the counter-weights come in contact with the sole-plate by the oscillation of the vessel A, the valves a. and b are opened alternately with a and b for the entrance and escape of water from the chambers.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Water from a dam or reservoir above the compressor enters the compartment D through the hollow trunnion H and pipe F; and if, for example, the vessel A be tilted to the position indicated in Fig. 2, passes to the chamber B through the valve et', forcing the air therein through the valve c into the receiver E. Vhen B becomes filled the water passes through the tube k into the receiver G', which drops by the gravity of its contents, thereby lifting the chain t and unlocking the toggles o and n. The vessel A is 'thus allowed to swing upon its trunnions by reason of the weight of the water in B, C being empty, and by its oscillation the toggles t and m are drawn into a locked position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. N ow, it is plain that the valves b and a will remain fixed by means of the counter-weights N till the vesselA is tilted suffi ciently to close them, which result is reached Vduring the iirst part of the oscillation; but the weight N does not come in contact with the sole-plate till the latter part of such movement, and therefore the inlet-valve a does not open before the outlets b are closed; and, as a consequence, no cornpressed air is lost through the valves, nor any Water allowed to escape Without doing its Work. Upon the reverse movement of the vessel A the same action takes place With regard to the valves a and b. Valves u admit air to B and C as the Water passes out.

Other means of locking the vessel at the ex tremities may be found advantageous, the device shown, however, being cheap, safe, and easily operated.

It will be noticed that, by means of the flexible connections F and 7s k with the moving parts of the apparatus, costly and complicated stuffing- 4 boxes are dispensed with.

The opera-tion of the apparatus is entirely automatic, all the valves being opened and closed by the action or reaction of the air or Water, or

both. From the vessel E the compressed air is conveyed in pipes to any point Where it is to be used.

What I claim as my invention is l. The tilting air-compressing vessel Aprovided With locking-links z' n at its extremities, in combination With the oscillating Water-receivers G G', the parts being arranged to operate the Water-valves a a b b substantially 'm the manner set forth.

2. In combination with the inlet-valves a and a and outlet-valves b and b', the counter-Weighted valve-stems N and N, arranged to be operated by the oscillation of the vessel A, for the purposes set forth.

J. S. PATRIC. Witnesses:

F. H. CLEMENT, WM. M. BATES. (12) 

